My thanks to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for an advance copy of this new workbook, memoir, and instructional guide in how to tap into the creative impulses we have inside of us, even when the creative impulses seem tapped out or uninterested.

There is a section in the beginning of this book where the author is being interviewed by people from the Human Resources department at a major advertising firm. The interview had been fine, but was starting to get a mite contentious. The author discusses his job to them in ways they never understood. Paraphrasing, he mentions that he has to come to work, be creative until lunch, come back to work be handed something and said make a campaign out of this, work until dinner go, home think about it and be creative again the next day. I had never really thought of creativity in those terms before. Yes some people make art for themselves, but many make art for their livelihood. One needs to be able to be creative when one is not in the mood, or can't wait for the moment to strike. This book asks questions about being creative that I have never thought of, nor seen in other books about tapping into the a person's imagination. A workbook of tough love for creatives one could say. The Creative Ambush: How to Unleash Your Fire into the World by Matteo di Pascale is a workbook of creativity, using experiences by the author or people he knows, along with a steady program of things that have worked for him, with a little bit of discipline.

Matteo di Pascale has worked in advertising and product development in a lot of firms all over the world. This gives him a unique view of both being creative and being creative in different cultures. Matteo has done a lot and shares these experiences, from successes to failures, of both himself and others to show that creativity. We all put up blocks, fears and other mental protections to keep us safe, and this is no different for art both personal and for business. Matteo shows how to work past these blocks, asking people to trust in what they feel, more that what the feel others want from us. This sounds like many other books, but Matteo has a program that he discusses, along with questions that ask why a person is doing what they are doing. And maybe that they should be doing something else.

Some of this book can seem a little rude. I on the other hand found it more realistic and helpful than many of the books that talk about we are all creative, we can all do things. No, that is not true. In writing reviews both on Goodreads and for the store website, there are times, even when writing about a book I enjoyed, that nothing seems to fit. nothing goes right, with sometimes nothing to write. Matteo gets this, but insists that it is there, one just has to go a little deeper. Why aren't you writing well, what is going on. What should be addressed. And maybe one should even move on.

A different kind of reference. One that I found helpful in a few areas. This is not to be read straight through, there is a workbook, and there are many tasks and assignments to teach the reader important lessons. . Some sections might take awhile to get through, and some might not do anything for the reader. However there are a lot of ideas, and much here that might help people find their creative edge.

The Creative Ambush is a motivating read for anyone facing resistance in their creative process. The author blends personal stories with practical advice and delivers it all with a no-nonsense tone. His message is clear: if you want to create, you need to stop waiting and start moving.

That said, the tone occasionally veers into self-righteousness, with little room for the deeper emotional challenges many creatives face—especially those who see creativity as a joyful escape rather than a productivity mission. The author clearly has a lot of experience, but at times his perspective feels dismissive of people whose blocks are more complex than just procrastination or lack of desire.

Still, there are valuable insights here, and plenty of encouragement for those ready to face their creative resistance head-on. A worthwhile read if you're ready to be called out, not coddled.